The path to take from here onwards
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Shamser Chowdhury
OUR struggle for independence was one of the unique events in the history of any nation. Those of us who survived the struggle are not only fortunate but also grateful to Almighty for being alive and the rare experience. As a nation we have passed through a sea of tragedies both at personal and national levels. Yet we have forged ahead and irrespective of what others may feel we also have made some significant progress to date? Admittedly given better governance and management skills we could have done better
One of our major problems as a nation has always been our inability to think rationally. We are often unduly emotional. We are anything but a visionary. We have a poor concept of achievement either at personal or at state levels. We are totally incapable of any collective thinking. To us personal glory is more important than the nation's honour. We never take lessons from either a victory or a defeat. We are often devoured by our anger, jealousy and extreme hatred.
These are some of the thoughts that had occupied my mind since the announcement of the verdict on the Bangabandhu murder case. Indeed through this verdict Bangladesh has created history of which it can rightly be proud of. My prayers are for our Prime Minister (PM) and the rest of her extended family.
This verdict should also further fortify our faith in the Almighty and judiciary at large. It is now time to nurture humility alongside pride. If we view the verdict as our grief being avenged and no more we shall not only deserve the cause but also tarnish the sacred memory of that Great man Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our father of the nation. As much as he was the father of our PM he was also unquestionably the father of a nation of over 150 million people.
Despite all this I am worried. I believe now is the time for us to sit back for a while and do some real soul searching. I am worried for a number of reasons. First and foremost, shall we not take lessons from this gigantic event and if so what lessons have we learnt from it? It is my conviction that the most important task that lies ahead of us now is unite the people across the country irrespective of their social or political affiliations.
Let us embark on an aggressive campaign of reconciliation and not spread hatred and venom. I am aware of the fact that criminals of all kinds are still stalking our sacred land should be brought to justice, but at the same time it is imperative that we neither cross the boundaries of the laid down processes of law under any circumstance nor should we influence it in any way whatsoever.
We should get hold of our accumulated anger and thirst for revenge. Will all that be forthcoming? Now is the time to turn our attention of ensuring justice for the common man. Let us be honest enough to admit that we have ignored them far too long. Families after families continue to grieve for the loss of their near and dear ones at the hands of murderers. Women continue to be violated and their dignity trampled under the feet of the rogues. Every day some innocent people are driven out from their hearth and homes by some goons known to the people and yet the keepers of the law keep silent and take no action against the perpetrators.
From here onwards each individual irrespective of his or her vocation and professional calling, must rise beyond their personal or partisan interests, -- country above self. From here onwards we should refrain from embarking on any management action driven by anger, grief and undue quest for retaliation. While anger blurs your vision and clouds your sense of judgment, grief weakens your resolve.
Now is the time to realign our focus and come out of this vicious cycle of narrow partisan thinking. Now is the time to bring about a balance between justice and power so that whatever is just is powerful and whatever is powerful is just. This alone can guarantee human rights. Present administration simply must give highest priority on this ever deteriorating state of our human rights. Failure to do so may ultimately turn all this good work into sheer waste.
It is time for the ruling party to seriously attend to the growing chaos and indiscipline across the party infrastructures or else it is likely to meet the fate of the Opposition. Most of us are getting weary of the debilitating acts and some ugly caricatures of some of the lawmakers of the ruling party.
Now is the time to engage all our energies in streamlining and revitalising some of the key functionaries of the government and the state like the judiciary, department of education and its tributaries, the police and the intelligence agencies, the Public Service Commission so an and so forth.
Let there be a Human Rights Commission, completely free and independent capable of effectively dealing with human rights violation in all its dimensions from the common man to the elites and the powerful.
What I am trying to convey is this that murder of lesser individuals are of no less consequence. In the final analysis he or she too was a father to some one, a mother one or some one's sister. Death is the equaliser.
Admittedly at times for the sake of posterity and history some selective and high profile cases have to be dealt with through the process that may turn out to be excruciating and time taking. Be that as it may one must take care to deal with the others with equal earnest and total commitment. In reference to the context it should also be remembered that justice should not only done but also seen.
The writer can be reached at e-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com
OUR struggle for independence was one of the unique events in the history of any nation. Those of us who survived the struggle are not only fortunate but also grateful to Almighty for being alive and the rare experience. As a nation we have passed through a sea of tragedies both at personal and national levels. Yet we have forged ahead and irrespective of what others may feel we also have made some significant progress to date? Admittedly given better governance and management skills we could have done better
One of our major problems as a nation has always been our inability to think rationally. We are often unduly emotional. We are anything but a visionary. We have a poor concept of achievement either at personal or at state levels. We are totally incapable of any collective thinking. To us personal glory is more important than the nation's honour. We never take lessons from either a victory or a defeat. We are often devoured by our anger, jealousy and extreme hatred.
These are some of the thoughts that had occupied my mind since the announcement of the verdict on the Bangabandhu murder case. Indeed through this verdict Bangladesh has created history of which it can rightly be proud of. My prayers are for our Prime Minister (PM) and the rest of her extended family.
This verdict should also further fortify our faith in the Almighty and judiciary at large. It is now time to nurture humility alongside pride. If we view the verdict as our grief being avenged and no more we shall not only deserve the cause but also tarnish the sacred memory of that Great man Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our father of the nation. As much as he was the father of our PM he was also unquestionably the father of a nation of over 150 million people.
Despite all this I am worried. I believe now is the time for us to sit back for a while and do some real soul searching. I am worried for a number of reasons. First and foremost, shall we not take lessons from this gigantic event and if so what lessons have we learnt from it? It is my conviction that the most important task that lies ahead of us now is unite the people across the country irrespective of their social or political affiliations.
Let us embark on an aggressive campaign of reconciliation and not spread hatred and venom. I am aware of the fact that criminals of all kinds are still stalking our sacred land should be brought to justice, but at the same time it is imperative that we neither cross the boundaries of the laid down processes of law under any circumstance nor should we influence it in any way whatsoever.
We should get hold of our accumulated anger and thirst for revenge. Will all that be forthcoming? Now is the time to turn our attention of ensuring justice for the common man. Let us be honest enough to admit that we have ignored them far too long. Families after families continue to grieve for the loss of their near and dear ones at the hands of murderers. Women continue to be violated and their dignity trampled under the feet of the rogues. Every day some innocent people are driven out from their hearth and homes by some goons known to the people and yet the keepers of the law keep silent and take no action against the perpetrators.
From here onwards each individual irrespective of his or her vocation and professional calling, must rise beyond their personal or partisan interests, -- country above self. From here onwards we should refrain from embarking on any management action driven by anger, grief and undue quest for retaliation. While anger blurs your vision and clouds your sense of judgment, grief weakens your resolve.
Now is the time to realign our focus and come out of this vicious cycle of narrow partisan thinking. Now is the time to bring about a balance between justice and power so that whatever is just is powerful and whatever is powerful is just. This alone can guarantee human rights. Present administration simply must give highest priority on this ever deteriorating state of our human rights. Failure to do so may ultimately turn all this good work into sheer waste.
It is time for the ruling party to seriously attend to the growing chaos and indiscipline across the party infrastructures or else it is likely to meet the fate of the Opposition. Most of us are getting weary of the debilitating acts and some ugly caricatures of some of the lawmakers of the ruling party.
Now is the time to engage all our energies in streamlining and revitalising some of the key functionaries of the government and the state like the judiciary, department of education and its tributaries, the police and the intelligence agencies, the Public Service Commission so an and so forth.
Let there be a Human Rights Commission, completely free and independent capable of effectively dealing with human rights violation in all its dimensions from the common man to the elites and the powerful.
What I am trying to convey is this that murder of lesser individuals are of no less consequence. In the final analysis he or she too was a father to some one, a mother one or some one's sister. Death is the equaliser.
Admittedly at times for the sake of posterity and history some selective and high profile cases have to be dealt with through the process that may turn out to be excruciating and time taking. Be that as it may one must take care to deal with the others with equal earnest and total commitment. In reference to the context it should also be remembered that justice should not only done but also seen.
The writer can be reached at e-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com